Code printing attachment for tape dispensing machines



J. G M KAY CODE PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR TAPE DISPENSING MACHINES 5Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 14, 1952 Flled Feb 25 1950 Oct. 14, 1952 McKA2,613,598

CODE PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR TAPE DISPENSING MACHINES Filed Feb. 25,1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jaw/o 07/ f 1 M42425. Q/ZCZZIZ Oct. 14, 1952 McKAY2,613,598

CODE PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR TAPE DISPENSING MACHINES Filed Feb. 23,1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 14, 1952 CODE PRINTING ATTACHMENTFOR TAPE DISPENSING MACHINES James G. McKay, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 23, 1950, Serial No. 145,659

1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to improvements in code printin devicesand is particularly directed to the provision of a highly effectivedeviceowhich can readily be associated with a tape dispensing machineand which will imprint a group of characters upon the tape as it isbeing dispensed.

The principal objects of the invention lie in the provision of anextremely simple and foolproof attachment for a tape dispensing machinewhich will print a group of characters upon the tape; which is easy toattach to the tape dispensing machine; easily serviced; in which theprinting characters are readily and simply replaceable; and in which aminimum of easily fabricated parts are used.

- The attachment is especially adapted to utilize the kind of printingwheel described and claimed in my copending application Serial No.145,660, filed February 23, 1950, now Patent No. 2,607,293, issuedAugust 19, 1952, for Printing Wheel, but is not limited thereto as willbe apparent from the description.

A preferred embodiment is illustrated and described in connection withthe drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a tape dispensing machine having my codeprinting attachment associated therewith.

"Fig; 2 is a median sectional view through the attachment showing themanner in which same is mounted'upon the tape dispensing machine.

' Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the code printingattachment.

- Fig. i is an enlarged sectional view taken through the printing wheelin a plane perpendicular to the axis thereof.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken through the printing wheel along theline 5-5 of Fig. 2 and in the direction indicated.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken through the inking wheel along the linel--| of Fig. 2 and in the indicated direction.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view taken through an edge of theprinting wheel where the same contacts the moving tape.

The construction of the tape dispensing machine designated lll forms nopart of my invention since said machine is capable of being constructedin a great many ways, and my device is readily mounted upon the sameirrespective of the constructional details thereof.

In Fig. l, I have shown the tape dispensing machine l0 having myattachment, designated generally 9 mounted upon the top thereof. Themachine I0 has a housing I l mounting a roll of tape I2 threaded throughvarious feeding and measuring mechanisms (not shown) and adapted to bedispensed as shown at l3 with the code characters l4 imprinted thereon.Although a manually operable lever l5 is illustrated, it is obvious thatthe tape may be dispensed b any suitable driving mechanism.

The machine is provided with a removable curved plate 16 having one endengaged at I! and the other end provided with a rounded leading edge l8secured by the bolt l9 to housing I l. The tape i2 is threaded over therounded leading edge "3 and down through a slot 20 and thence over aplaten 2| which may be either a revolving member or fixed, and thence towhatever feeding mechanism may be provided. The plate I 6 is providedwith a window 22 above the platen 21 which exposes the tape l2 as itpasses over the platen 2| so that the code characters 14 may be printedthereon through the window. The slot 2|] may have adjustable blocks 23at its ends to center the tape l2 as it passes therethrough.

I provide a channel shaped yoke 25 secured to the plate it by bolts 26with a shaft 2! secured between the arms thereof. A pair of parallelspaced apart mountingplates 28 are pivotally mounted on the shaft 21 forlimited rocking movement about the shaft. As will be seen in Fig. 6, theplates 28 may be strengthened along their upper and lower edges byflanges 29. Said plates 28 are maintained in spaced apart relationshipby a pair of stub shafts 30 and 3| secured between the plates bysuitable nuts, washers and the like as illustrated at 32 cooperatingwith the threaded ends 33 and 34 of the respective shafts. The shaftv 30is mounted on the left hand end of the plates 28 as viewed in Fig. 2 invertically slotted openings 35 while the shaft 3| is mounted at theright hand end in horizontally slotted openings 36.

The shaft 30 rotatably mounts a printin wheel designated generally bythe character and the shaft 3! rotatably mounts an inking wheeldesignated generally by the character 4| in engagement with the wheel40.

The wheel 40 comprises a pair of discs 42 spaced apart by means of aconcentrically mounted annular ring or cylinder 43 and held in assemblyby bolts 44. The cylinder 43 is spaced radially of the edges 45 to forma slot 46 substantially coextensive with the circumference of the wheel40. The wheel 40 is mounted upon a bushing 41 by the nuts 48 whichengage the threaded ends 49 of the bushing 41, and the bushing isjournalled upon the shaft 30. The slot 46 is provided with readilyremovable flexible type strip members 50 having protruding characters 5|adapted to eX- tend radially outward of the edges so that the main bodyof the strip is positioned inwardly of the edges 45. The edges therebylimit the deformation of the type characters 5| during printing as shownin Fig. 8 and decrease wear of the characters 5|. Slits 52 are providedto facilitate the shaping of the strip members 56 to conform with thearcuate slots.

The edges 45 are preferably formed by deep knurling to providefrictional engagement between the tape l2 and the wheel 40 to causerotation of the wheel, and thereby forming laterally offset deformations53. The deformations 53 on the inside of the plates 42 compriseshoulders serving to retain the type strip members in the slot 46. Theslot may be provided with stop members 54 to limit slipping of the typestrip members along the slot 46 and to enable accurate positioningthereof, such as for example, if it is desired to symmetrically arrangethe members 59 about the circumference of the wheel 40. The stop member54 is arranged in Fig. 4 for clockwise rotation of wheel 40.

The wheel 46 is mounted so that the bottom thereof protrudes from thebottom of the plate members 28 and rides upon the tape l2 over theplaten 2|. Obviously, as the tape I2 is pulled past the platen 2 I, thewheel 40 will rotate and the characters 5| will print the code M on thetape. The wheel 46 is biased against the tape l2 by the coil spring 55which is secured at one end to a flange 29 and at the other end to theplate IE or the block 23 as shown.

The inking wheel 4| is formed of a pair of side plates 56 having ahighly absorbent disc 51 of ink retaining material sandwichedtherebetween. The material may be sponge or foam rubber. The disc 51 ismounted upon a spacer 58 and secured to the sleeve 59 by the nuts 60 inthe same manner as the wheel 40 is secured to its sleeve 41. The sleeve59 is journalled on shaft 3|. The inking wheel 51 has a narrowed edge 6|which is adjusted to rotate in engagement with the type characters 5| sothat as the tape I2 is dispensed rotating the wheel 40, the inking wheel4| will daub the characters 5| and the ink will thereby be transferredto the tape |2 It is believed that my invention and the preferred mannerof constructing the attachment described herein have been explainedsufiiciently to enable those skilled in the. art to understand andappreciate the advantages and benefits thereof. Many variations arepossible with respect to size, shape, and other details, but I do notwish to be limited by the description except as circumscribed by theappended claim.

I claim:

An attachment adapted to be associated with a tape dispensing machinehaving a tape-exposing window past which the tape moves as a portionthereof is being dispensed, said attachment including a unitarychannel-shaped yoke having substantial width adapted to be fixedlysecured to said machine on the upper end thereof, a shaft securedbetween the arms of the yoke, a pair of vertically arranged platemembers pivotally mounted in spaced relationship on said shaft adaptedfor limited rocking movement between the yoke arms, a printing wheelmounted between said supporting plates for engagement with the exposedtape so as to rotate and print thereon while same is dispensed, a coilspring having one end thereof secured to said attachment and itsopposite end adapted to be secured to the machine for resilientlybiasing the attachment in a direction disposing the printing wheel intoengagement with the exposed tape, a rotatable inking wheel also mountedon the supporting plates in engagement with the printing wheel wherebyto transfer ink thereto, said printing and inking Wheels each beingrotatably mounted on a shaft secured between the supporting plates withsaid shafts arranged also to brace the supporting plates, saidsupporting plates each having a vertically arranged slot in which an endof the said printing wheel shaft is secured whereby to permit verticaladjustment between the printing wheel and the exposed tape and ahorizontally arranged slot in which an end of the inking wheel shaft issecured whereby to permit horizontal adjustment between the inking wheeland the printing wheel.

JAMES G. MCKAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 994,099 Barlow May 30, 19111,202,560 Michael Oct. 24, 1916 1,276,868 Bradshaw Aug. 27, 19181,293,963 Snowden Feb. 11, 1919 1,422,666 Chestnut July 11, 19221,529,130 Inman Mar. 10, 1925 2,098,130 Binford et a1. Nov. 2, 1937

